'All children are psychic' - author

All children are psychic and they're tuned in to their abilities now more than ever, according to one of Australia's top "intuitives".

However, parents need to know how to nurture their kids skills without discouraging or being too pushy, says Sue Bishop.

"Kids are coming through with some incredible abilities," says Bishop, author of recently published book, Psychic Kids.

"We're starting to see little kids who can see spirits, who can actually validate who it is. It's different to a child saying, 'I've got a monster on top of my bed'. We know that's imagination.

"They're having premonitions, they're starting to be a lot more aware of their environment, of people.

"Sure, some kids make things up. I've tested kids that say they've seen these things, and they've not. But in general we're noticing that the level of awareness kids have today is different to the kids of the 80s."

There are a few reasons for this, Bishop says. The topic is less taboo now so children are free to explore their psychic abilities and there's also the element of "soul evolution".

"I believe that each evolution carnates to bring a new gift, a new awareness to help us grow and expand also to deal with the problems created from the former generation," she says.

Bishop says everyone has psychic abilities, "the difference is that most people, before the age of seven, they cut that channel off".

She says by seven the soft part of the skull fully closes and the age of reason begins, she explains.

"It's when children go through this phase that they start to fear death and fear separation from a parent... they start to focus more on being logical and analytical.

"They start to doubt their intuition, they shut that part of themselves off."

To keep sixth sense skills active children need to be reassured and not restrained, she says.

"Think for a moment: 'How can I be a positive role model to help my children trust their abilities?'"

How to nurture a child's psychic ability:
* Recognise that you and your child have a sixth sense. "This means they [parents] have to put aside their own prejudice and belief systems and allow their inner-self to say 'yes, this is my child being intuitive'."

* Set "safe boundaries" for using these abilities. Children need support, but don't indulge them too much. "Some kids will go to far and let their imagination take over." As kids grow up there's a risk of them using their ability to undermine others.

* Allow children to express what they're seeing, hearing or feeling using words or pictures. "There's a difference between nurture and pushing kids." Ask them to expand.